Pinterest a.k.a. My Latest Obsession

Do you know about Pinterest? If not, you should. Pinterest is a virtual (and visual) pinboard website and app that allows you to share photos, products, articles, and more with all of your friends. I could literally sit on the site for hours and once you get the hang of things, you'll probably feel the same way. The recipes alone look so delicious that you'll repin tons, even if you plan on never cooking them.

Here's the latest product that I pinned:


This limited-edition T-shirt from Hendrick Boards is available only until February 15th and reads: "BE THE PERSON YOUR DOG THINKS YOU ARE." With every purchase, a percentage is donated back to animal shelters, including Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue (the local dog rescue I work for). So, click that link and buy a tee!

Click here to follow me on Pinterest and find other cool things I obsess over.

Brushing Up

I haven't created a spec ad in quite some time, so when I came across this print ad in a magazine-- I thought this was a great opportunity to brush up on my copywriting skills.

Exhibit A

By looking at that ad above, do you know what it's about? The headline is too long and wonky... not to mention the fact that it doesn't match the visual at all.

The bottom copy reads:
"Start today by finding out if you have Chronic Migraine. Knowing that what you've been living with has a name, means knowing you can find treatments that are right for you. After all, saying 'yes, I'll be there' ...and really being there... shouldn't be a luxury."

Then, it says "Don't live a Maybe life" because, you know, this ad is supposed to make me feel compelled to do something right this second.

Exhibit B

The above ad is my "after" version which includes a clean headline that speaks to the reader and ties in to the visual.

The bottom copy reads:
"If you experience 15 or more headaches a month, you may suffer from Chronic Migraine, a headache disorder that affects 3.2 million Americans, mostly women. Identifying the cause of your pain is the first step towards finding helpful treatments that are right for you."

I chose to include more information about how many people are affected by Chronic Migraine because it jumped out at me on their website. 3.2 million Americans is a lot of people, after all! Mainly women? Great, more info I would want as a reader. If I did suffer from migraines, these facts would make me want to visit the website to learn more.

I also took the bit about the "maybe life" out because maybe it didn't belong. (No, seriously, it didn't). It was cheesy and unnecessary.

So, what do my dear readers think? Thoughts? Observations? Criticisms about my basic Photoshop skills? :-) Don't hold back!

All About Dino

This is Dino, my foster dog.

On the left is what he looked like when I first met him at the shelter and the right side is Dino today. He was a stray brought into the Brooklyn shelter system and was later rescued by Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue, the organization for which I manage social media.

Dino has been living with my husband and I since about June and I have fallen madly in love with him. Our dog, Frenchy, isn't too fond of him though and so we're still looking for the perfect permanent home for Dino.

Here are 10 things about Dino that you won't find in his bio:

1. You can probably see this in his "after" pic; his right ear hangs back as if he's opening it up to hear you. (It's uber cute).
2. He destroys chew toys, but will be your best friend if you give him a bone or better yet- a cow's ear.
3. He gives endless kisses and loves belly rubs.
4. He actually lets you clean his ears without a problem (my Cocker fights this like you would not believe).
5. He enjoys running (and prancing), and would probably make a great running partner.
6. He wakes us in the morning with a big lick on the face. Warning: His tongue is cold!
7. He sits and gives paw and will even give you his other paw too, if you ask nicely.
8. He sleeps with his eyes half way open, snores a lot, and is startled when you wake him.
9. He is enamored by the squirrels, birds, and cats that he sees outside our bedroom window.
10. He actually hugs like a human with his paws around the neck and everything!


If you have a fenced in backyard and no cats or kids (a prerequisite determined by the rescue) and would like to give Dino a permanent loving home, please email rescue@nyabandonedangels.com to request an application. My husband and I will be extremely sad to see him leave our family, but we know he deserves a suburban backyard. We are secretly hoping that his new owners will send us updates and photographs. :-)

If you're looking to adopt a dog, please visit www.nyabandonedangels.com to view their selection of rescued dogs. They have Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, Springer Spaniels, Jack Russell Terriers, and more. They are always looking for foster homes too and can arrange to transport a dog anywhere in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. Please also give them a like on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to stay up to date with rescue news, etc. (Yes, I'm their Twitter gal). Please pass the info to anybody you know who is looking for a new pooch! Words cannot express how much Frenchy (adopted from Abandoned Angels in 2007) and Dino have both changed our lives. The love you will feel for a precious, homeless animal is bigger than you can ever imagine.

Tidbits from the Typewriter (er...keyboard)

I read such a great screenplay this week! I wish I could tell you what it was called, but it's confidential. :-) Here's a hint:

That's about all I can say until the film is released. Sorry, Charlie. Just trust me, it was totally entertaining and will be a huge hit in the box office.

On another note, I've been dealing with a little bit of writer's block this week. I thought I'd take a moment to share some of my tricks:

Love to flick that thing right off my desk...

Who doesn't adore a squeezable martian?


Water! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!


Let me BUILD something! Mmm... the smell is intoxicating!


Frustration no more! BANG!

Dum... dee... dum. Cute potato... Mustache!

Who knew toys from childhood would come in so handy? I'm also a huge fan of The Storymatic. It's just completely fun and useful all at the same time.


So let's hear it. What do you do about your writer's block?

Crafty? Who, me?

The following post is admittedly not about my writing career; however, reading it will give you uber secret insights into my creative thinking as well as my OCD-like nature when it comes to attention to detail.

As some of my loyal readers know, I got married in 2009. While planning the event, I discovered that I had a crafty side. Who knew? It started with the Save the Date cards which I decided I had to make myself...


...and then the invitations which I was determined to screen-print myself, using a nifty Gocco I spontaneously bought on eBay...

Photo taken by Ryan Brenizer

...and then the ceremony programs, and oh yeah- those escort cards that I hand stamped in the middle of the night...

Photo taken by Ryan Brenizer

I also decided to design the dinner menus...

Photo taken by Ryan Brenizer

...and hellooo? I had to make the favors and the favor tags!

Photo taken by Ryan Brenizer

That said, I quite honestly never thought of myself as an "arts & crafts" person before. I mean, you should see me try to draw a fish. (I've been told that it looks like a worm with feathers). ...and my storyboards in film school were stick figures, ok? So, the sudden urge to craft and create things was a big surprise to everybody who knew me. And it was fun! Soon after my wedding, I began making wire wrapped button rings and Scrabble tile pendants! I started my own Etsy shop (which needs to be updated badly at the moment) and voila- a crafty woman I became!

A few months ago, I started making these flower pins:

They're hand sewn and made from recycled wool sweaters! I started sewing them into hair clips too.

...until one day, I had a brilliant idea to make them into accessories for dogs! Finally, I can put my love for dogs to good use. So, I created more and more...

...and I started selling them at rescue events as donations to Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue!


Here are a couple of rescued dogs modeling different kinds:

Yes, that pic above is my Cocker Spaniel. She doesn't know this yet, but she'll be my official model for new designs currently in the works. Don't worry, she'll get some tasty biscuits as payment for her time.

So, feel free to visit my Etsy shop called Goo City soon because I'll be adding these "Doggie Daisies" to my inventory. Plus, I started making bow ties for male dogs! WOOT! Stay tuned...

Taking Social Media By Storm!

Tweet, tweet...


Yes, I'm on Twitter. Do you follow me? Why not?

Tweet me here: @gooblythe and I'll wave back!

While you're at it, please follow my great friends at @NYCockerRescue, @SPOTFoundation, and @spotdogsrule.

Stay tuned for more blogs about social media... coming soon!

Yes, I Can Write Filth.

I recently completed writing a very gritty game called 9mm which is set to debut this week at E3. 9mm is the story about a group of bad cops who do whatever it takes to keep the streets clean, even if that means breaking the law. Based loosely on Southern California (where I lived for 5 years), the game features gangs, a ton of violence, and all the characters have some serious potty mouths. This is definitely not a game for kids.

That said, it was an incredible collaboration with a designer named Damian who works out of a studio in another country... I can't say which. :-) Damian went to film school too, so we were really able to brainstorm and talk story well, a luxury I don't always get at my job. He happens to be a big fan of American action popcorn movies (and loves Sylvester Stallone), so we had some pretty hilarious conversations about eliminating "the cheese with which oozed" from the game. We were also very active with both the voice-over casting and recording processes which was SO great. (We're usually taken out of the loop at that point).

Don't blame me for all the cussing- this is what they wanted! :-) Check out the trailer below.




9mm is scheduled to be released any day now for Android, iPhone, iPad and iTouch devices.